Talen Horton-Tucker cuts list to 3 (ISU is on it)

CYber_saber

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What is all the rumbling going on right now over Illinois boards about the rumored rift between Ayo's camp and THT's camp? Anyone else following this...

"The staff was lead to believe there was absolutely no lingering issue between Ayo's camp (and by camp I mean family to be frank) and THT's camp (also family to be frank).

When they brought him on campus and his visit was going great and roses and lollipops started flowing down a rainbow somebody in one of the camps (a parental) did a 180 on the topic.

This has all gone down in like the last 12 hours. Maybe the person who doesn't want their child playing with the other child will be talked of the ledge a bit. But there's a strong chance of some serious stuff going down the next 48 hours."


http://www.illinoisloyalty.com/Forums/showthread.php?t=23993&page=178
 

Illinisavant

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I have no special inside information, I just follow Illinois recruiting fairly closely.

As I said yesterday, I will be very surprised — shocked even — if THT chooses Illinois. Even before Ayo committed he had essentially zero interest in Illinois. With Ayo? There’s just no way it happens, imo. The rift between the two camps is very real, and I’m honestly a little surprised that the Illinois staff would court such potential drama but... the kid IS damn good. Shifty, big bodied scorers like THT don’t grow on trees. And he’s a Simeon kid.

Illinois made his final list: 1) because it generates more local press for his announcement; and 2) out of respect for the Simeon/UI relationship. That’s the extent of it, imo.

We’ll all know soon enough, I guess.

P.S. Expect to see some press and a lot of fan angst (perhaps even panic) about an out of state program like ISU “poaching” a Simeon player. It will likely be seen as a threatening precedent by more than a few. That Simeon pipeline is a very sensitive topic because it’s one of the few CPL pipelines that Illinois has been able to maintain over the years and across different coaching regimes. As some here have correctly noted, Illinois fans are a little nuts. Hahaha.

Beat Iowa.
 
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Thomasrickj

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I have no special inside information, I just follow Illinois recruiting fairly closely.

As I said yesterday, I will be very surprised — shocked even — if THT chooses Illinois. Even before Ayo committed he had essentially zero interest in Illinois. With Ayo? There’s just no way it happens, imo. The rift between the two camps is very real, and I’m honestly a little surprised that the Illinois staff would court such potential drama but... the kid IS damn good. Shifty, big bodied scorers like THT don’t grow on trees. And he’s a Simeon kid.

Illinois made his final list: 1) because it generates more local press for his announcement; and 2) out of respect for the Simeon/UI relationship. That’s the extent of it, imo.

We’ll all know soon enough, I guess.

P.S. Expect to see some press and a lot of fan angst (perhaps even panic) about an out of state program like ISU “poaching” a Simeon player. It will likely be seen as a threatening precedent by more than a few. That Simeon pipeline is a very sensitive topic because it’s one of the few CPL pipelines that Illinois has been able to maintain over the years and across different coaching regimes. As some here have correctly noted, Illinois fans are a little nuts. Hahaha.

Beat Iowa.
If Illinois doesn't want their players poached from another state university, maybe they should worry about their own program first. Illinois has only made the tourney four times since they made it to the championship game 12 years ago and have not advanced past the round of 32. Their last tourney appearance was in 2013. Their program is going down in the dumps but their fanbase still thinks they're a better program than ISU. ISU is coming off of six straight tourney appearances, has a brand new practice facility, and Hilton is widely considered one of the top ten arenas in the country. Illinois fans are sitting there saying ISU is a "little brother", when Illinois is the older brother who is getting fat, going bald and working a lousy job. We are the little brother that's picking up all the ladies, moving up in the corporate world, and turning into the more successful of the two. Illinois fans are delusional if they think they deserve a recruit over us at this point in their program.
 

Cydkar

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If Illinois doesn't want their players poached from another state university, maybe they should worry about their own program first. Illinois has only made the tourney four times since they made it to the championship game 12 years ago and have not advanced past the round of 32. Their last tourney appearance was in 2013. Their program is going down in the dumps but their fanbase still thinks they're a better program than ISU. ISU is coming off of six straight tourney appearances, has a brand new practice facility, and Hilton is widely considered one of the top ten arenas in the country. Illinois fans are sitting there saying ISU is a "little brother", when Illinois is the older brother who is getting fat, going bald and working a lousy job. We are the little brother that's picking up all the ladies, moving up in the corporate world, and turning into the more successful of the two. Illinois fans are delusional if they think they deserve a recruit over us at this point in their program.
I'm pretty sure that Underwood is working on that.
 
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Illinisavant

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If Illinois doesn't want their players poached from another state university, maybe they should worry about their own program first. Illinois has only made the tourney four times since they made it to the championship game 12 years ago and have not advanced past the round of 32. Their last tourney appearance was in 2013. Their program is going down in the dumps but their fanbase still thinks they're a better program than ISU. ISU is coming off of six straight tourney appearances, has a brand new practice facility, and Hilton is widely considered one of the top ten arenas in the country. Illinois fans are sitting there saying ISU is a "little brother", when Illinois is the older brother who is getting fat, going bald and working a lousy job. We are the little brother that's picking up all the ladies, moving up in the corporate world, and turning into the more successful of the two. Illinois fans are delusional if they think they deserve a recruit over us at this point in their program.


Programs don’t “deserve” anything. Ever. They compete and get what they earn. Period. Prohm is doing a great job and has definitely earned his latest recruiting class.

The brother analogy breaks down from the start, imo. These aren’t “brother” programs. They’re in different conferences and different states and seldom play each other. They don’t typically compete for recruits.

There’s no question that ISU has been the more successful program over the last ten years. Don’t really know what your beef is. I haven’t been disrespectful of ISU at all. I’m quite an admirer, actually. I came in peace to offer some info from the other side of the THT recruitment. That’s it.

Best of luck this season.
 
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BryceC

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If Illinois doesn't want their players poached from another state university, maybe they should worry about their own program first. Illinois has only made the tourney four times since they made it to the championship game 12 years ago and have not advanced past the round of 32. Their last tourney appearance was in 2013. Their program is going down in the dumps but their fanbase still thinks they're a better program than ISU. ISU is coming off of six straight tourney appearances, has a brand new practice facility, and Hilton is widely considered one of the top ten arenas in the country. Illinois fans are sitting there saying ISU is a "little brother", when Illinois is the older brother who is getting fat, going bald and working a lousy job. We are the little brother that's picking up all the ladies, moving up in the corporate world, and turning into the more successful of the two. Illinois fans are delusional if they think they deserve a recruit over us at this point in their program.

I don't get what your problem is dude. The guy has been 100% reasonable and it's not like he isn't aware of this. Plus you're putting words in his mouth regarding the little brother stuff.

There are plenty of people who get ticked off about in-state recruits going out of state on this board. It's the same for the Illini. Mountains out of molehills here.

Obviously I hope to beat them on the recruiting trail like a rented mule.
 

PantherCyclone

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I have no special inside information, I just follow Illinois recruiting fairly closely.

As I said yesterday, I will be very surprised — shocked even — if THT chooses Illinois. Even before Ayo committed he had essentially zero interest in Illinois. With Ayo? There’s just no way it happens, imo. The rift between the two camps is very real, and I’m honestly a little surprised that the Illinois staff would court such potential drama but... the kid IS damn good. Shifty, big bodied scorers like THT don’t grow on trees. And he’s a Simeon kid.

Illinois made his final list: 1) because it generates more local press for his announcement; and 2) out of respect for the Simeon/UI relationship. That’s the extent of it, imo.

We’ll all know soon enough, I guess.

P.S. Expect to see some press and a lot of fan angst (perhaps even panic) about an out of state program like ISU “poaching” a Simeon player. It will likely be seen as a threatening precedent by more than a few. That Simeon pipeline is a very sensitive topic because it’s one of the few CPL pipelines that Illinois has been able to maintain over the years and across different coaching regimes. As some here have correctly noted, Illinois fans are a little nuts. Hahaha.

Beat Iowa.

I want so much to believe what you are writing here, but I can't help but think that with the announcement occurring at Simeon, a pipeline for the Illini, in front of what I would guess are mostly Illinois fans, it would make sense that THT would be choosing Illinois. I don't know that I would want to put my self in the position to be a major disappointment to those around me while making a huge life decision. I may be one of the few, and I hope I am wrong, but I am leaning Illini for THT. Just a gut feeling, and I hope that I am wrong.
 

Stewo

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I want so much to believe what you are writing here, but I can't help but think that with the announcement occurring at Simeon, a pipeline for the Illini, in front of what I would guess are mostly Illinois fans, it would make sense that THT would be choosing Illinois. I don't know that I would want to put my self in the position to be a major disappointment to those around me while making a huge life decision. I may be one of the few, and I hope I am wrong, but I am leaning Illini for THT. Just a gut feeling, and I hope that I am wrong.

*cough* Harrison Barnes *cough*
 

allfourcy

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Meyer and Slater both picking Illinois. Idiots. He is going to ISU.

I must say you have certainly bravely put yourself out there several times claiming an ISU decision. I have NO clue what your reputation is concerning recruiting insight or if that even matters. I just hope you are right. Tugging at our recruiting hearts like this makes it all the more disappointing if you're not. (Or am I the only that fell for it hook, line, & sinker?)
 
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peteypie

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Not yet. I'm not going to be really worried unles Halsted gives a CB to Illinois
Agreed,

Though Halstad was one that switched his Wiggington pick to Oregon too. It's not over until THT says it's over. He's been pretty quiet. I doubt Jerry has any inside info IMO.
 

Illinisavant

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I want so much to believe what you are writing here, but I can't help but think that with the announcement occurring at Simeon, a pipeline for the Illini, in front of what I would guess are mostly Illinois fans, it would make sense that THT would be choosing Illinois. I don't know that I would want to put my self in the position to be a major disappointment to those around me while making a huge life decision. I may be one of the few, and I hope I am wrong, but I am leaning Illini for THT. Just a gut feeling, and I hope that I am wrong.


LOL. Bobby Simmons, Derek Rose, Jabari Parker et. al. had no problem at all with it. Illinois kids announce from their high school against Illinois all the time. Heck,Cliff Alexander straight up pranked Illinois with the “hat trick” straight from Curie high school.

If you could feel my pain (haha) you’d realize that it’s done frequently. The list is long.

We’ll see but if he picks Illinois it will be the first genuine interest he has shown in Illinois during the entire process. Just not seeing it.
 

Stewo

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Agreed,

Though Halstad was one that switched his Wiggington pick to Oregon too. It's not over until THT says it's over. He's been pretty quiet. I doubt Jerry has any inside info IMO.

Alex has admitted that he has no idea what's going on. The same goes for everyone else. THT has been incredibly tight-lipped.
 

CycloneErik

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LOL. Bobby Simmons, Derek Rose, Jabari Parker et. al. had no problem at all with it. Illinois kids announce from their high school against Illinois all the time. Heck,Cliff Alexander straight up pranked Illinois with the “hat trick” straight from Curie high school.

If you could feel my pain (haha) you’d realize that it’s done frequently. The list is long.

We’ll see but if he picks Illinois it will be the first genuine interest he has shown in Illinois during the entire process. Just not seeing it.

The Alexander one was downright rude, but you guys got the better end of the deal there.
 

rholtgraves

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I must say you have certainly bravely put yourself out there several times claiming an ISU decision. I have NO clue what your reputation is concerning recruiting insight or if that even matters. I just hope you are right. Tugging at our recruiting hearts like this makes it all the more disappointing if you're not. (Or am I the only that fell for it hook, line, & sinker?)

I know nothing. Just confident in Prohm and the current recruits swaying him to ISU.
Prohm and ISU have been recruiting him far longer than either of the other schools and all the current recruits are recruiting him. In addition, CW has gone on the record previously and stated that he believes they will land him.
 
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